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A brightboard is simply a computer con- nected to a projector, combined with one or more bluetooth-connected pen-tablets and a wireless keyboard. The software on the computer can be exactly the same as that which would normally be present for an EWB, but typically also includes a range of high quality, tried-and-trusted interactive classroom applications that take advantage of the multimedia and calculating power of the computer itself. The brightboard model works particu- larly well in schools that already have pro- jectors installed in classrooms. A popular classroom scenario is one where the teacher brings the laptop to class and ‘docks’ it to a docking station on the desk that is per- manently connected to power, to the school network and internet, and to a projector and an amplifier. Once everything is powered up, the laptop can be controlled via the pen- tablet from anywhere in the room. A wire- less keyboard allows typed entry from any- where in the room as well. One student or group can be using a mouse, while another can be typing data. Two or more tablets will work at the same time, so the possibilities of dual control, and possible chaos, arise. The screen size can be as large as your wall and projector will allow. The brightboard model will work in a large school hall or theatre with the same interactivity, and the ability for people at the back still to see clearly. If the school delivers video on demand via the computer network then instructional video can be viewed full-screen. The brightboard gives the full function- ality of an EWB, as well as a larger projec- tion area and the ability for participants to actively contribute from anywhere in the room. It’s significantly cheaper to install and maintain. Most importantly, the teacher doesn’t have to be the centre of attention and can be out among the classroom par- ticipants rather than staring into a bright projector and jumping around shadows so the screen is visible to all. A powerful dynamic emerges in class- rooms when control is appropriately shared with groups of students. Adolescents in par- ticular are comfortablewhen they’re all fac- ing the screen while one drives the mouse rather than being asked to stand at the front of the classroom. Young children and pre-adolescents may well be better suited to the EWB model. Classrooms for students at a younger age are typically more cosy and homely, often with many or all the children sitting on the floor or clustered closely around the board. The tactile nature of the board, so long as children can reach it, the colour and move- ment, and the ability to walk and talk while they click and drag present engaging oppor- tunities for teachers. The important thing for teachers and administrators when making decisions about these tools is not to be taken in by the smoke and mirrors. There’s a place for both models I’ve described, but many factors need to be considered in choosing one or the other. The best software I’ve seen dem- onstrated on EWBs was around long before the boards themselves, and its real effective- ness has always come down to the ability of the teacher using it rather than whether it was on one computer, 30 computers, or projected onto the side of a barn. For the cost of one EWB, you might be able to buy three projectors, although you’ll need the amplifier for whichever option you choose. If your teachers have laptops, get docking stations. Don’t think that you can put in one EWB and bring classes to it – that’s like sitting 30 students in front of one computer and think- ing they’re going to ‘do’ computing. If you want teachers to use whichever solution you choose, it needs to be at their fingertips. Don’t spend money sending teachers to EWB conferences. Send them to conferences about English or History or Geography or reading that use lots of different technol- ogy in clever and innovative ways to engage learners and extend learning. T Keith Vallis is theHead of Learning Technol- ogies and Peter Williamson is the Manager of Information Services at Barker College, Sydney. Picture courtesy Barker College. information & communication technology 59